Social Commerce and Customer-to-Customer Value Co-Creation Impact on Sustainable Customer Relationships

The advent of social commerce (SC) has transformed the landscape of online consumer behavior, emphasizing the significance of customer-to-customer relations in shaping sustainable relationships with customers. This research investigated the intricate relationships between social commerce dimensions, particularly suggestions and recommendations, forums and communities, and ratings and reviews, and their influence on customer-to-customer value co-creation (C2CVCC) and sustainable customer relationships (SCRs). A questionnaire was designed and administered to 635 respondents. We examined the psychometric properties of the measurements and subsequently applied partial least squares as a structural equation modeling method (PLS-SEM) for hypothesis testing. The findings revealed that the dimensions of SC significantly impact C2CVCC, with ratings and reviews playing a pivotal role. Furthermore, C2CVCC emerged as a substantial mediator in the path between SC and SCRs. The empirical analysis showcased strong support for the proposed model, with robust path coefficients (beta) and p-values confirming direct and indirect effects. These findings offer valuable insights for businesses seeking to leverage SC and customer interactions to enhance SCRs in the digital era. Understanding the dynamics of C2CVCC within the context of SC has become essential for marketers and businesses aiming to thrive in today's competitive online marketplace.